US20190302148A1 - Testing head having improved frequency properties - Google Patents
Testing head having improved frequency properties Download PDFInfo
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- US20190302148A1 US20190302148A1 US16/442,385 US201916442385A US2019302148A1 US 20190302148 A1 US20190302148 A1 US 20190302148A1 US 201916442385 A US201916442385 A US 201916442385A US 2019302148 A1 US2019302148 A1 US 2019302148A1
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- guide
- contact elements
- conductive
- conductive portion
- testing head
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R1/00—Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
- G01R1/02—General constructional details
- G01R1/06—Measuring leads; Measuring probes
- G01R1/067—Measuring probes
- G01R1/073—Multiple probes
- G01R1/07307—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
- G01R1/07364—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card with provisions for altering position, number or connection of probe tips; Adapting to differences in pitch
- G01R1/07378—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card with provisions for altering position, number or connection of probe tips; Adapting to differences in pitch using an intermediate adapter, e.g. space transformers
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R1/00—Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
- G01R1/02—General constructional details
- G01R1/06—Measuring leads; Measuring probes
- G01R1/067—Measuring probes
- G01R1/073—Multiple probes
- G01R1/07307—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
- G01R1/07357—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card with flexible bodies, e.g. buckling beams
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R1/00—Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
- G01R1/02—General constructional details
- G01R1/06—Measuring leads; Measuring probes
- G01R1/067—Measuring probes
- G01R1/06772—High frequency probes
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R1/00—Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
- G01R1/02—General constructional details
- G01R1/06—Measuring leads; Measuring probes
- G01R1/067—Measuring probes
- G01R1/073—Multiple probes
- G01R1/07307—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
- G01R1/07314—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card the body of the probe being perpendicular to test object, e.g. bed of nails or probe with bump contacts on a rigid support
- G01R1/07328—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card the body of the probe being perpendicular to test object, e.g. bed of nails or probe with bump contacts on a rigid support for testing printed circuit boards
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R1/00—Details of instruments or arrangements of the types included in groups G01R5/00 - G01R13/00 and G01R31/00
- G01R1/02—General constructional details
- G01R1/06—Measuring leads; Measuring probes
- G01R1/067—Measuring probes
- G01R1/073—Multiple probes
- G01R1/07307—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card
- G01R1/07364—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card with provisions for altering position, number or connection of probe tips; Adapting to differences in pitch
- G01R1/07371—Multiple probes with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card with provisions for altering position, number or connection of probe tips; Adapting to differences in pitch using an intermediate card or back card with apertures through which the probes pass
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
- G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
- G01R31/2851—Testing of integrated circuits [IC]
- G01R31/2886—Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to a testing head for testing electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor substrate. More in particular, the present disclosure relates to a testing head comprising at least one guide provided with a plurality of guide holes apt to house a plurality of contact elements, and the following description is made with reference to this application field with the only purpose of simplifying the exposition.
- a testing head is a device apt to place a plurality of contact pads of a microstructure, such as an electronic device integrated on a wafer, into electrical contact with corresponding channels of a testing machine performing the working test thereof, in particular the electrical one, or generically the test.
- the test which is performed on integrated devices, is particularly useful to detect and isolate defective devices yet in the manufacturing step.
- the testing heads are thus used to electrically test the devices that are integrated on a wafer before cutting and assembling them inside a chip containing package.
- a testing head comprises a plurality of contact elements or contact probes retained by at least one guide or by at least one pair of guides (or supports) which are substantially plate-shaped and parallel to each other.
- Those guides are provided with suitable holes and are arranged at a certain distance from each other so as to leave a free space or air gap for the movement and the possible deformation of the contact probes, which are slidingly housed in those guide holes.
- the pair of guides comprises in particular an upper guide and a lower guide, both provided with respective guide holes where the contact probes axially slide, the probes being usually made of wires of special alloys having good electrical and mechanical properties.
- testing heads of this kind are usually called “vertical probe head”.
- the vertical probe testing heads have a gap in which the bending of the contact probes occurs, the bending being possibly assisted by means of a suitable configuration of the probes themselves or of their guides, as schematically shown in FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 1 schematically shows a testing head 1 comprising at least one upper guide 2 , usually indicated as “upper die”, and a lower guide 3 , usually indicated as “lower die”, separated by a gap 13 , having respective guide holes 4 and 5 in which a plurality of contact probes 6 slides, only one probe of the plurality of contact probes being shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity.
- Each contact probe 6 terminates at an end with a contact tip 7 apt to abut onto a contact pad 8 of a device under test integrated on a wafer 9 , in order to carry out the mechanical and electrical contact between the device under test and a test equipment (not shown) of which such a testing head is a terminal element.
- contact tip indicates an end zone or region of a contact probe apt to contact a contact pad of the device under test, such an end zone or region not necessarily being sharp.
- the contact probes are fixedly fastened to the testing head at the upper guide: in such cases, the testing heads are referred to as “blocked probe testing heads”.
- testing heads having probes not fixedly fastened are used, those probes being interfaced to a board, possibly by means of a micro-contact board: those testing heads are referred to as “non-blocked probe testing heads”.
- the micro-contact board is usually called “space transformer” since, besides contacting the probes, it also allows to spatially redistribute the contact pads made on it with respect to the contact pads of the device to be tested, in particular relaxing the distance constraints between the centers of the pads themselves.
- each contact probe 6 has a further end zone or region which terminates with a so-called contact head 10 towards a contact pad 11 of a plurality of contact pads of a space transformer 12 .
- the good electrical contact between probes 6 and space transformer 12 is ensured by the pressing contact of the testing heads 10 of the contact probes 6 on the contact pads 11 of the space transformer 12 , analogously to the contact between the contact tips 7 and the contact pads 8 of the device under test integrated on the wafer 9 .
- pogo pins essentially comprising an elastic body connected to two end portions, the elastic body compressing upon contact of the end portions with the contact pads of the device under test and of the space transformer.
- the contact elements are divided into contact elements apt to carry power and ground signals towards the device under test, and into contact elements apt to carry operating signals, in particular input/output signals, between the test equipment and the device under test.
- Conductive structures apt to electrically connect contact probes to each other are disclosed for example in US 2012/0242360 A1, KR 101 421 051 B1, US 2014/0197860 A1, and WO 2012/106220 A1.
- the testing head is able to reduce a simple way (and to eliminate in a simple way too) the interferences, and therefore the noise, caused by the presence of ground and power contact elements, as well as able to allow an electrical connection between contact pads of a device under test without reducing the frequency performances of the testing head itself.
- the testing head wherein at least one guide is provided with guide holes for housing contact elements apt to carry operating signals, i.e., input/output signals between a test equipment and a device under test, as well as contact elements apt to carry ground and power signals, at least one group of the guide holes into which said ground contact elements are housed, and/or at least one group of the guide holes into which said power contact elements are housed, and/or at least one group of the guide holes into which said input/output contact elements are housed being electrically connected by a conductive portion made in the guide, said conductive portion forming a common conductive plane.
- the testing head apt to verify the operation of a device under test integrated on a semiconductor wafer comprises:
- the guide comprises a conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a group of guide holes to each other and is apt to contact a corresponding group of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal.
- the testing head can comprise at least one first conductive portion and at least one second conductive portion, the first conductive portion including and electrically connecting the holes of a first group of the guide holes to each other, such a first group housing first contact elements, the second conductive portion including and electrically connecting the holes of a second group of the guide holes to each other, such a second group housing second contact elements.
- first contact elements housed in the first group of the guide holes can be apt to carry ground signals
- second contact elements housed in the second group of the guide holes can be apt to carry power signals
- one of the first and second conductive portions can be formed on a face of the at least one guide, and the other one of the first and second conductive portions can be formed on an opposite face of the at least one guide.
- the at least one conductive portion can be separated from further conductive portions and/or can be locally interrupted by at least one non-conductive zone, so as not to allow an electrical connection between contact elements apt to carry a different type of signal and/or contact elements which must not be short-circuited.
- the at least one guide can comprise at least one coating dielectric portion covering the at least one non-conductive zone.
- the testing head can comprise at least one lower guide, at least one intermediate guide, and at least one upper guide, the lower guide and the intermediate guide being separated from each other by a first gap, the intermediate guide and the upper guide being separated from each other by a second gap, each of those guides comprising respective guide holes for the housing of the contact elements, one of the first and second conductive portion being formed on a face of the lower guide and the other one of the first and second conductive portion being formed on a face of the intermediate guide.
- the testing head can comprise at least one lower guide, at least one intermediate guide, and at least one upper guide, the lower guide and the intermediate guide being separated from each other by a first gap, the intermediate guide and the upper guide being separated from each other by a second gap, each of those guides comprising respective guide holes for the housing of the contact elements, both the lower guide and the intermediate guide comprising both the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion being physically and electrically separated from each other by a non-conductive zone of the guides.
- the first contact elements housed in the first group of the guide holes can be apt to carry ground signals
- the second contact elements housed in the second group of the guide holes can be apt to carry power signals
- the testing head can comprise at least one third conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a third group of the guide holes to each other, such a third group housing third contact elements.
- the third contact elements housed in the third group of the guide holes can be apt to carry input/output signals between the device under test and a test equipment.
- the at least one conductive portion can cover at least one portion of an inner surface of each guide hole of the group of guide holes.
- the contact elements can be contact probes wherein the body has a deformation.
- the contact elements can be pogo pins, the body comprising a casing and an elastic member arranged in the casing, the casing defining a first surface and a second surface, at least one of those surfaces being apt to abut onto the at least one guide, the electrical connection between the contact elements and the at least one conductive portion being a pressing contact through the first and/or second surface.
- the at least one guide can comprise at least one common pad connected to the at least one conductive portion by means of a conductive track.
- the at least one conductive portion can be arranged on a face of the at least one guide and can have a lower area than an area of the face of the at least one guide.
- the at least one conductive portion can cover a face of the at least one guide, such a conductive portion electrically connecting the holes of the at least one of the guide holes to each other, with the exception of areas where guide holes not belonging to that at least one group are formed.
- the at least one guide can comprise at least one further conductive portion, which includes one of the guide holes apt to house a single contact element, the at least one guide comprising a further common pad connected to the at least one further conductive portion by means of a further conductive track and/or comprising a conductive track that connects the at least one further conductive portion to other conductive portions.
- the at least one conductive portion can be embedded in the at least one guide.
- the at least one conductive portion can comprise a plurality of conductive portions overlapped to and electrically insulated from each other.
- the testing head can comprise at least one conductive track that electrically connects at least two conductive portions including and electrically connecting the holes of two respective groups of guide holes to each other and being apt to contact respective groups of contact elements, the contact elements included in those respective groups being apt to carry a same type of signal.
- the testing head can further comprise at least one circuit component, preferably a capacitor, which is electrically connected at least to the at least one conductive portion of the at least one guide.
- FIG. 1 schematically shows a testing head according to the prior art
- FIGS. 2A-2C schematically show a testing head according to different embodiments of the present disclosure
- FIGS. 3A-3C schematically show a top view of a guide of the testing head of FIGS. 2A-2C , respectively, whereas FIG. 3D schematically shows a top view of a guide of a testing head according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure
- FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically show a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure
- FIGS. 5A and 5B schematically show a portion of a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure
- FIG. 6 schematically shows a portion of a testing head according to yet another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure
- FIG. 7 schematically shows a testing head according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein contact elements are in the form of pogo pins;
- FIGS. 8A-8C schematically show top views of a guide of a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure
- FIGS. 9A and 9B schematically show top views of a guide of a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure.
- FIGS. 10A and 10B schematically show top views of a guide of a testing head according to yet further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure.
- a testing head for testing electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor wafer according to the present disclosure is globally and schematically indicated with 20 .
- the testing head 20 comprises at least one guide 40 (a lower guide in the example of the figure) provided with a plurality of guide holes 40 h apt to house a plurality of contact elements.
- the guide holes 40 h are apt to house a plurality of first contact elements 21 ′, which are apt to carry a first type of signal, a plurality of second contact elements 21 ′′, which are apt to carry a second type of signal, as well as a plurality of third contact elements 21 ′′′, which are apt to carry a third type of signal, as it will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
- the guide 40 is made of a non-conductive material, for example a ceramic material such as silicon nitride, or of a glass or silicon-based material, or of a polyamide material, or of any other suitable dielectric material.
- the testing head 20 is used to verify the operation of a device under which comprises at least one first region apt to receive power and ground signals, and a second region apt to receive/send input/output signals from/to a test equipment (not shown) connected to the testing head 20 .
- a test equipment not shown
- high current power signals usually in the range of 1 A or higher
- ground signals usually in the range of 1 A or higher
- operating signals i.e., input/output signals having lower current values, usually in the range of 0.5 A or lower
- contact elements apt to carry power and ground signals and contact elements apt to carry input/output signals towards/from a device under test those contact elements being distinct from each other and having different physical and mechanical characteristics.
- first contact elements identifies the contact elements apt to carry ground signals (reference number 21 ′)
- second contact elements identifies the contact elements apt to carry power signals
- third contact elements identifies the contact elements apt to carry operating signals, input/output signals between the test equipment and the device under test, wherein this distinction does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.
- first and second contact elements 21 ′ and 21 ′′ in the manufacturing of the first and second contact elements 21 ′ and 21 ′′ it is possible to use wires having different diameters, for example a larger diameter, compared to the diameter of the wires that form the third contact elements 21 ′′; it is possible to use also different materials for these different contact elements.
- FIG. 2A six contact elements are shown, in particular two first contact elements 21 ′, two second contact elements 21 ′′ and two third contact elements 21 ′′′, but the number of those contact elements may obviously vary according to needs and/or circumstances, the figures being provided only for indicative purposes and not limiting the present disclosure.
- FIG. 2A shows a testing head 20 wherein the contact elements are in the form of contact probes, preferably formed by metallic wires, having a body 21 pr , which has a pre-deformation and is apt to further deform upon the pressing contact with the contact pads of a device under test, said contact probes being housed in the guide holes 40 h , which are formed in the single guide 40 , but the disclosure is not limited to this and the testing head 20 can comprise a lower guide, an intermediate guide, and an upper guide, as well as a different kind of contact elements, as it will be illustrated in detail hereinafter.
- the contact elements are in the form of contact probes, preferably formed by metallic wires, having a body 21 pr , which has a pre-deformation and is apt to further deform upon the pressing contact with the contact pads of a device under test, said contact probes being housed in the guide holes 40 h , which are formed in the single guide 40 , but the disclosure is not limited to this and the testing head 20 can comprise a lower guide
- Each contact element of the testing head 20 therefore comprises the body 21 pr , which extends along a longitudinal axis H-H between a first end portion or contact tip 24 and a second end portion or contact head 25 .
- the contact tip 24 is apt to abut onto corresponding contact pads 26 of a device under test integrated in a semiconductor wafer 27 .
- the testing head 20 is a non-blocked-probe testing head and the contact elements terminate with the contact head 25 which is apt to abut onto corresponding contact pads 28 of an interposer or space transformer 29 .
- the space transformer 29 is apt to perform a spatial transformation of the distances between the pitches of the contact pads on opposite faces thereof, the space transformer 29 being generally connected to a printed circuit board or PCB (not shown), which is interfaced with the test equipment (also not shown).
- the guide 40 comprises at least one first conductive portion 30 ′ which includes a first group 40 ′ of guide holes 40 h .
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ covers an area of the guide 40 which includes the first group 40 ′ of the holes 40 h , which are therefore formed at said area.
- the guide holes of the first group 40 ′ are electrically connected to each other by the first conductive portion 30 ′ and house a corresponding group of contact elements, in particular a group of the first contact elements 21 ′, and therefore house contact elements apt to carry ground signals towards the device under test.
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ forms a common conductive plane, in particular a ground plane, for the first contact elements 21 ′ housed in the guide holes of the first group 40 ′, said first contact elements 21 ′ being therefore electrically connected to each other by means of the ground plane, with which they are all in contact.
- the first contact elements 21 ′ which are short-circuited among each other and are housed in the first group 40 ′ of the guide holes 40 h , are apt to carry a same ground signal, resulting in the elimination of interferences on the operating signals and in an overall improvement of the frequency performance of the contact head 20 .
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ is arranged on a superficial portion of the guide 40 , in particular on a face FA thereof, said face FA being an upper face according to the local reference system of FIG. 2A .
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ may also be arranged on a face FB, opposite the face FA, of the guide 40 , said face FB being a lower face according to the local reference system of FIG. 2A , or it may be arranged on both the faces FA and FB.
- the first contact elements 21 ′ of the testing head 20 are contact probes having the body 21 pr provided with a pre-deformation and apt to further deform itself during the contact with the contact pads 26 and 28 of the device under test and of the space transformer 29 , respectively.
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ preferably covers also at least one portion 40 ′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of the first group 40 ′ of the guide holes 40 h . More preferably, the internal surface of the guide holes of the first group 40 ′ is entirely coated by the first conductive portion 30 ′, the portion 40 ′W therefore coinciding with the entire inner surface of the holes.
- the electrical connection between the first contact probes 21 ′ and the first conductive portion 30 ′ is therefore achieved by means of a brushing contact between the body 21 pr of the probes and the metallized portion 40 ′W of the guide holes into which the probes are housed.
- the brushing contact is in any case guaranteed by the thickness of the first conductive portion 30 ′ itself.
- first conductive portion 30 ′ in such a way that it is embedded in guide 40 , in this way forming a ground plane which electrically connects the guide holes of the first group 40 ′ within the guide 40 .
- first conductive portion 30 ′ emerges at the inner surface of the guide holes in order to electrically contact the first contact probes 21 ′.
- the presence of the first conductive portion 30 ′ which allows to electrically connect at least one group of the first contact elements 21 ′ apt to carry ground signals and therefore forming a common conductive (ground) plane, allows to eliminate the noise in the operating signals carried by the third contact elements 21 ′′′ inside the testing head 20 .
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ by electrically connecting the holes of the first group 40 ′ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, short-circuits at least one corresponding group of the first contact elements 21 ′, said group in particular being a group of ground contact elements.
- the guide 40 comprises at least one second conductive portion 30 ′′ which includes and electrically connects the holes of a second group 40 ′′ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, wherein a corresponding group of the second contact elements 21 ′′ is housed in the second group 40 ′′, the second conductive portion 30 ′′ being physically separated from the first conductive portion 30 ′ and therefore not electrically connected thereto.
- the second contact elements 21 ′′ connected by the second conductive portion 30 ′′ i.e., housed in the second group 40 ′′ of the guide holes 40 h , are apt to carry power signals and the second conductive portion 30 ′′ also forms a common conductive plane, in particular a power plane.
- the second contact elements 21 ′′ housed in the second group 40 ′′ of the guide holes 40 h are short-circuited to each other and are apt to carry a same power signal.
- the second conductive portion 30 ′′ is arranged on a superficial portion of guide 40 too, i.e., it is arranged on the face FA and/or on the face FB of the guide 40 . Furthermore, also the second conductive portion 30 ′′ coats at least one portion 40 ′′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of the second group 40 ′′ of the guide holes 40 h (preferably the entire surface), the electrical connection between the second contact elements 21 ′′ and the second conductive portion 30 ′′ being guaranteed by the brushing contact between the body 21 pr of the second contact elements 21 ′′ and the portion 40 ′′W coated by a conductive material (metallized).
- the testing head 20 comprises contact elements apt to carry ground and power signals, as well as contact elements apt to carry operating signals, housed in the guides according to any kind of combination, the conductive portions being appropriately shaped so as to short-circuit even non-adjacent guide holes.
- the guide 40 further comprises at least one third conductive portion 30 ′′′ which includes and electrically connects the holes of a third group 40 ′′′ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, wherein a corresponding group of the third contact elements 21 ′′′ is housed in the third group 40 ′′′, the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ being physically separated from the first conductive portion 30 ′ and from the second conductive portion 30 ′′ and therefore not electrically connected thereto.
- the third contact elements 21 ′′′ connected by the third conductive portion 30 ′′′, i.e., housed in the third group 40 ′′′ of the guide holes 40 h , are apt to carry operating signals, that is input/output signals between the device under test and the test equipment, and also the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ forms on a common conductive plane, in particular a signal plane.
- the third contact elements 21 ′′′ housed in the third group 40 ′′′ of the guide holes 40 h are short-circuited to each other and are apt to carry a same operating signal, that is a same input/output signal between the device under test and the test equipment.
- FIG. 2C is particularly advantageous in case of a necessity of short-circuiting two or more contact pads of the device under test, since it is possible to establish a loop-back configuration while considerably shortening the path of the signals, which do not pass through the entire contact element towards/from the test equipment but stop at the common conductive signal plane, with consequent advantages in terms of frequency performance of the testing head 20 .
- the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ is arranged on a superficial portion of guide 40 , that is it is arranged on the face FA and/or the face FB of guide 40 . Furthermore, the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ coats at least one portion 40 ′′′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of the third group 40 ′′′ of the guide holes 40 h (preferably the entire surface), the electrical connection between the third contact elements 21 ′′′ and the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ being guaranteed by the brushing contact between the body 21 pr of the third contact elements 21 ′′′ and the portion 40 ′′′W coated with conductive material (metallized).
- the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ are made of a metallic material for example selected from copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh) and alloys thereof.
- FIG. 3A shows a top view of guide 40 , in particular of the face FA thereof, wherein the first conductive portion 30 ′ electrically connects the holes of the first group 40 ′ of the guide holes 40 h , the first group 40 ′ being apt to house a corresponding group of the first contact elements 21 ′ which carry ground signals, whereas FIG.
- FIG. 3B shows a top view of the guide 40 , still of the face FA thereof, wherein, in addition to the first conductive portion 30 ′, also the second conductive portion 30 ′′ is formed, which electrically connects the holes of the second group 40 ′′ of the guide holes 40 h , the second group 40 ′′ being apt to house a corresponding group of the second contact elements 21 ′′ which carry power signals, and is physically and electrically separated from the first conductive portion 30 ′ by a non-conductive zone 31 of guide 40 .
- 3C shows a top view of guide 40 , still of the face FA thereof, wherein, in addition to the first conductive portion 30 ′ and to the second conductive portion 30 ′′, also the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ is formed, which electrically connects the holes of the third group 40 ′′′ of the guide holes 40 h , the third group 40 ′′′ being apt to house a corresponding group of the third contact elements 21 ′′′ which carry input/output signals, and is physically and electrically separated from the conductive portions 30 ′ and 30 ′′ by the non-conductive zone 31 of guide 40 .
- first conductive portion 30 ′, the second conductive portion 30 ′′, and the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ only coat a superficial portion of guide 40 , in particular only a portion of its face FA and/or its face FB, namely the first, the second and the third conductive portion 30 ′, 30 ′′, 30 ′′′ do not extend over the entire area of the face FA and/or FB, so as to prevent contact elements that are not meant to be short-circuited from being short-circuited to each other.
- the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′, 30 ′′′ have an area that is less than an area of the face of the guide on which they are formed.
- the guide 40 is therefore not entirely coated by the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′, and at least the non-conductive zone 31 , which separates the conductive portions, is present, the guide holes housing contact elements not meant to be short-circuited being formed in such a non-conductive zone 31 .
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ covers a face of the guide 40 (the face FA in the example), except for areas where guide holes apt to house contact elements that must not be short-circuited are formed.
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ is not formed in areas where the guide holes that do not belong to group 40 ′ are formed.
- the non-conductive zone 31 is therefore formed only at the guide holes that do not belong to the first group 40 ′.
- the non-conductive zone 31 may also be in the form of a plurality of non-conductive zones, each formed only at a guide hole that has to be electrically insulated.
- the same configuration can be adopted also for the second conductive portion 30 ′′ and for the third conductive portion 30 ′′′.
- the non-conductive zone 31 is covered by at least one added portion of dielectric material or coating dielectric portion arranged on guide 40 , so as to avoid the presence of grooves in guide 40 , for example between different conductive portions or at guide holes that don't have to be metallized, where metallic debris produced by the brushing contact of the contact elements with the walls of the guide holes may settle.
- the coating dielectric portion which preferably has a thickness that is substantially equal to that of the conductive portions, coats the non-conductive zones 31 preventing metallic debris from settling therein, so as to avoid leakage and undesired electrical connections between contact elements apt to carry a different kind of signal.
- all the contact elements that carry a same kind of signal are electrically connected by means of one of the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′, or that only some of them are connected by one of the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′.
- the testing head 20 comprises at least one lower guide, still indicated with 40 , at least one intermediate guide 41 , and at least one upper guide 42 .
- the lower guide 40 and the intermediate guide 41 are separated from each other by a suitable first gap 32 ′, whereas the intermediate guide 41 and the upper guide 42 are separated from each other by a suitable second gap 32 ′′.
- the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ are closer to the device under test.
- the intermediate guide 41 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 41 h , apt to house the contact elements 21 ′, 21 ′′ and 21 ′′′.
- the upper guide 42 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 42 h , apt to house the contact elements 21 ′, 21 ′′ and 21 ′′′.
- the intermediate guide 41 may comprise the first conductive portion 30 ′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of a first group 41 ′ of the guide holes 41 h to each other, said first group 41 ′ housing a corresponding group of the first contact elements 21 ′, which carry ground signals.
- the intermediate guide 41 may also comprise the second conductive portion 30 ′′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of a second group 41 ′′ of guide holes 41 h to each other, said second group 41 ′′ housing a correspondent group of the second contact elements 21 ′′, which carry power signals.
- the intermediate guide 41 may comprise the third conductive portion 30 ′′′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of a third group 41 ′′′ of the guide holes 41 h , said third group 41 ′′′ housing a corresponding group of the third contact elements 21 ′′′, which carry input/output signals.
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ is arranged on a superficial portion of the intermediate guide 41 , in particular on a face FD thereof, said face FD being a lower face according to local reference system of FIG. 4A .
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ may also be arranged on a face FC, opposite to the face FD, of the intermediate guide 41 , said face FC being an upper face according to local reference system of FIG. 4A , or it may be arranged on both faces FC and FD.
- the conductive portions 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ may be formed analogously.
- the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ only cover a superficial portion of the intermediate guide 41 as well, in particular only a portion of its face FC and/or its face FD, namely the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ do not extend over the entire area of the face FC and/or FD and therefore do not extend over the entire area of the intermediate guide 41 .
- the testing head 20 is manufactured according to the so-called “shifted plate technology”, wherein the contact elements 21 ′, 21 ′′ and 21 ′′′, are “buckling beam” contact probes and are initially formed straight, the relative shift of the guides causing a deformation of the probe body, as well as the desired retention of the probes itself thanks to the friction with the walls of the guide holes into which they slide.
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ coats at least one portion 41 ′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of the first group 41 ′ of the guide holes 41 h
- the second conductive portion 30 ′′ coats at least one portion 41 ′′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of the second group 41 ′′ of the guide holes 41 h
- the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ coats at least one portion 41 ′′′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of the third group 41 ′′′ of guide holes 41 h
- the electrical connection between the contact probes 21 ′, 21 ′′ and 21 ′′′ and the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ being established by means of a brushing contact between the body 21 pr of the contact probes and the metallized portions 41 ′W, 41 ′′W and 41 ′′′W, respectively.
- FIG. 4A shows as an example an embodiment wherein both the lower guide 40 and the intermediate guide 41 comprise both the first conductive portion 30 ′ and the second conductive portion 30 ′′.
- This embodiment also increases the possibility of a brushing contact between the contact probes and the conductive portions 30 ′ and 30 ′′ and possibly the metallized portions 41 ′W and 41 ′′W.
- both the intermediate guide 41 and the lower guide 40 comprise the third conductive portion 30 ′′′.
- both the intermediate guide 41 and the lower guide 40 comprise the third conductive portion 30 ′′′.
- only one between the intermediate guide 41 and the lower guide 40 comprises the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ which short-circuits input/output signal contact elements, preferably the lower guide 40 .
- the first conductive portion 30 ′ is formed on one between the lower guide 40 and the intermediate guide 41 , in particular the lower guide 40
- the second conductive portion 30 ′′ is formed on the other between the lower guide 40 and the intermediate guide 41 , in particular the intermediate guide 41 , in the illustrated example on two faces thereof facing each other, in particular the upper face FA of the lower guide 40 and the lower face FD of the intermediate guide 41 , according to the local reference system of FIG. 4B .
- one between the two guides 40 and 41 preferably the lower guide 40 , may comprise the third conductive portion 30 ′′′. This embodiment simplifies the formation of the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′, 30 ′′ on different guides.
- the upper guide 42 comprises the first conductive portion 30 ′ and/or the second conductive portion 30 ′′ and/or the third conductive portion 30 ′′′, as well as it is also possible to provide a configuration wherein the intermediate guide 41 is not present but only the upper guide 42 , on which the first conductive portion 30 ′ and/or the second conductive portion 30 ′′ and/or the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ can be formed, is present.
- a same guide in particular the lower guide 40 in the example of the figures, comprises the first conductive portion 30 ′, which is formed on the face FA, and comprises the second conductive portion 30 ′′, which is formed on the opposite face FB.
- Analogous considerations can be made for the intermediate guide 41 and the faces FC and FD on which the first and/or second conductive portions 30 ′ and 30 ′′ can be formed, and also for the upper guide 42 .
- this embodiment wherein the first conductive portion 30 ′ and the second conductive portion 30 ′′ are formed on two opposite faces of the same guide, is particularly advantageous, since, as schematically shown in FIG. 5B , in many cases the first contact elements 21 ′ (apt to carry ground signals) and the second contact elements 21 ′′ (apt to carry power signals) are very close to each other in the testing head 20 , for example alternated one after the other, and for this reason it is complicated to form both conductive portions 30 ′ and 30 ′′ on a same face of a guide of the testing head 20 .
- one of the first and second conductive portions 30 ′ or 30 ′′ is apt to electrically connect the first contact elements 21 ′ (apt to carry ground signals), whereas the other conductive portion, formed on an opposite face of the same guide, is apt to electrically connect the second contact elements 21 ′′ (apt to carry power signals), in particular alternated with the first contact elements 21 ′, in this way simplifying the production of the testing head 20 and avoiding complicated interlacement of conductive portions.
- both the conductive portions 30 ′ and 30 ′′ are locally interrupted by suitable non-conductive zones 31 ′ and 31 ′′ (similarly to what observed in relation to FIGS. 3A-3D ), respectively, so as to avoid an electrical connection between ground contact elements and power contact elements.
- the non-conductive zones 31 ′ and 31 ′′ therefore locally prevent an electrical connection between adjacent contact elements apt to carry different signals.
- one or more of the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ comprises a plurality of conductive portions that are overlapped and electrically insulated from each other, said conductive portions being identified with the reference number 30 ′′ 1 - 30 ′′n in FIG. 6 .
- a first layer 30 ′′ 1 is formed on the face FA of guide 40 , and the subsequent layers are formed starting from the first layer 30 ′′ 1 , consecutive conductive layers being separated from each other by a non-conductive layer 38 ′′.
- different conductive layers may form common conductive plans for different power (or ground or signal) domains, if needed by a particular application.
- the face FA of the guide 40 comprises a corresponding number of layers 30 ′′ 1 - 30 ′′n of the second conductive portion 30 ′′, each layer being apt to electrically connect the respective second contact elements 21 ′′ apt to carry a single specific power signal.
- the other face of the guide in the example the face FB, can be covered by the first conductive portion 30 ′, which electrically connects the contact elements 21 ′ apt to carry ground signals.
- each conductive layer may be locally interrupted by suitable non-conductive zones 31 ′′ in order to not electrically connect contact elements that must not be short-circuited to each other.
- the non-conductive zones 31 ′′ of a layer are formed at the holes housing contact elements that must not be short-circuited by said layer, whereas said layer covers at least partially the walls of the guide holes housing contact elements that must be short-circuited by it.
- the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′ may therefore be more than one, as there can be more than one power, ground and signal domains (the latter occurs when different groups of pads of the device under test need to be short-circuited), and possibly may be arranged on different levels if required.
- the contact elements 21 ′, 21 ′′ and 21 ′′′ are contact probes of the “buckling beam” type.
- the contact elements of testing head 20 are in the form of pogo pins.
- the testing head 20 comprises the lower guide 40 and the upper guide 42 and does not comprise the intermediate guide 41 .
- each contact element 21 ′, 21 ′′ and 21 ′′′ comprises a body 21 pp that includes a casing 33 and an elastic member 34 arranged inside the casing 33 .
- a first end of the elastic member 34 is connected to a first end portion or contact tip 24 of the pogo pin, whereas a second end of the elastic element 34 , opposite the first end, is connected to a second end portion or contact head 25 of the pogo pin.
- the contact tip 24 which is inserted into guide holes 40 h formed in the lower guide 40 , is apt to abut onto contact pads 26 of a device under test integrated on a wafer 27
- the contact head 25 which is inserted into guide holes 42 h formed in the upper guide 42 , is apt to abut onto contact pads 28 of a space transformer 29 , the lower guide 40 and the upper guide 42 being separated by a gap 35 .
- the casing 33 of each pogo pin preferably has a cylindrical shape, but obviously other shapes are also possible.
- the lower guide 40 and/or the upper guide 42 comprises the first conductive portion 30 ′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of a first group 40 ′ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, and/or the holes of a first group 42 ′ of guide holes 42 h .
- the lower guide 40 and/or the upper guide 42 may also comprise the second conductive portion 30 ′′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of a second group 40 ′′ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, and/or the holes a second group 42 ′′ of guide holes 42 h .
- the lower guide 40 and/or the upper guide 42 may also comprise the third conductive portion 30 ′′′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of a third group 40 ′′′ of guide holes 40 h to each other, and/or the holes of a third group 42 ′′′ of the guide holes 42 h , the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ being preferably formed on the lower guide 40 .
- the guide holes of the first group 40 ′ and/or of the first group 42 ′ house first contact elements or pogo pins 21 ′ apt to carry ground signals
- the guide holes of the second group 40 ′′ and/or of the second group 42 ′′ house second contact elements or pogo pins 21 ′′ apt to carry power signals
- the guide holes of the third group 40 ′′′ and/or the third group 42 ′′′ house third contact elements or pogo pin 21 ′′′ apt to carry input/output signals between the device under test and the test equipment.
- the casing 33 of the body 21 pp of each pogo pin is shaped so as to define a first surface S 1 and a second surface S 2 , arranged at opposite ends of the casing 33 along a longitudinal axis H-H thereof, which surfaces S 1 and S 2 are apt to abut onto the lower guide 40 and the upper guide 42 , respectively, the casing 33 of the pogo pins having a maximum cross-sectional size (generally around 80 ⁇ m) that is greater than a diameter of the guide holes, the term diameter indicating a maximum cross-sectional size of the guide holes, even of non-circular section.
- the contact tip 24 and the contact head 25 are electrically connected to the casing 33 of the pogo pins, said casing 33 being made of a conductive material.
- the pressing contact between the casing 33 , in particular between the surfaces S 1 and S 2 thereof, and the first conductive portion 30 ′ ensures the electrical connection between the first pogo pins 21 ′ housed in the first group 40 ′ and 42 ′ of guide holes of the lower guide 40 and the upper guide 42 , respectively, said pogo pins being apt to carry ground signals
- the pressing contact between the casing 33 , in particular between the surfaces S 1 and S 2 thereof, and the second conductive portion 30 ′′ ensures the electrical connection between the second pogo pins 21 ′′ housed in the second group 40 ′′ and 42 ′′ of guide holes of the lower and upper guide 40 and 42 , respectively, said pogo pins being apt to carry power signals.
- the pressing contact between the casing 33 , in particular between the surfaces S 1 and S 2 thereof, and the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ ensures the electrical connection between the third pogo pins 21 ′′′ housed in the third group 40 ′′′ and 42 ′′′ of guide holes of the lower and upper guides 40 and 42 , respectively, said pogo pins being apt to carry input/output operating signals.
- the electrical connection between the pogo pins 21 ′, 21 ′′ and 21 ′′′ and the conductive portions 30 ′, 30 ′′ and 30 ′′′, respectively, is in this case performed by means of a pressing contact of the first surface S 1 and the second surface S 2 of the casing 33 on the lower guide 40 and on the upper guide 42 , respectively, the conductive portions being formed on a superficial portion of the lower guide 40 , in particular on a face FA thereof, said face FA being an upper face according to the local reference system of FIG. 7 , and/or on a face FE of the upper guide 42 , said face FE being a lower face, still according to local reference system of FIG. 7 .
- pogo pins as contact elements is particularly advantageous because in this case it is not necessary to guarantee a brushing contact between the contact elements and the inner surface of the guide holes, a pressing contact between the casing 33 , in particular between the surfaces S 1 and S 2 thereof, and the guides being sufficient to ensure the proper electrical connection between the conductive portions and the contact elements, wherein suitable groups of those contact elements are in this way electrically connected (short-circuited) to each other.
- the lower guide 40 which comprises the first conductive portion 30 ′, comprises at least one first common pad 36 ′ connected to the first conductive portion 30 ′ by means of a first conductive track 37 ′.
- the first contact elements 21 ′ apt to carry ground signals are connected to the first common pad 36 ′ by means of the first conductive track 37 ′, the first common pad 36 ′ therefore being a common ground pad.
- the intermediate guide 41 and/or the upper guide 42 may comprise a first common pad and a respective first conductive track.
- the common pad 36 ′ may be connected by means of a first connection wire to a housing (not shown) of the testing head 20 .
- the lower guide 40 and/or the intermediate guide 41 and/or the upper guide 42 may comprise at least one second common pad 36 ′′ connected to the second conductive portion 30 ′′ by means of a second conductive track 37 ′′.
- the second contact elements 21 ′′ apt to carry power signals are connected to the second common pad 36 ′′ by means of the second conductive track 37 ′′, the second common pad 36 ′′ therefore being a common power pad.
- the lower guide 40 and/or the intermediate guide 41 and/or the upper guide 42 may also comprise at least one third common pad 36 ′′′ connected to the third conductive portion 30 ′′′ by means of a third conductive track 37 .
- the third contact elements 21 ′′′ apt to carry input/output operating signals are connected to the third common pad 36 ′′′ by means of the third conductive track 37 ′′′, the third common pad 36 ′′′ therefore being a common signal pad.
- a common pad 36 ′, 36 ′′, 36 ′′′ connected to the respective conductive portion 30 ′, 30 ′′, 30 ′′′ allows to extract a respective signal from the testing head 20 and to connect it, for example, to a PCB connected to the testing head 20 .
- the common pad therefore can carry a monitoring signal, for example of the voltage levels on the corresponding guide.
- the guide also comprises a further common pad 36 bis connected to the further conductive portion 30 bis by means of a further conductive track 37 bis .
- the third contact element 21 ′′′ housed in such a metallized hole is electrically connected to the further common pad 36 bis by means of the further conductive track 37 bis , so that it is possible for example to transport an input/output signal from the further common pad 36 bis towards a PCB. It is also possible to provide the presence of a plurality of further conductive portions, separated from each other, each performing the metallization of a respective single guide hole 40 h , such further conductive portions being possibly connected to each other by means of conductive tracks or by means of circuit components if needed.
- FIG. 9B it is possible to provide that at least two conductive portions (two first conductive portions 30 ′ in FIG. 9B , but not limited to these) of the guide 40 are electrically connected to each other by means of a conductive track 39 in the guide, so as to be able to electrically connect to each other groups of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal but that are housed in respective groups of guide holes distanced from each other in the guide (two groups 40 ′ in FIG. 9B but not limited to these).
- the guide 40 which comprises at least one conductive portion (the conductive portion 30 ′ in the figures but not limited thereto), also comprises at least one circuit component 50 connected to the conductive portion, which forms a common conductive plane.
- the guide 40 comprises at least two conductive portions (two first conductive portions 30 ′ in the figure but not limited thereto), the circuit component 50 being electrically connected thereto.
- the circuit component 50 is a filtering capacitor, still indicated with the reference number 50 , having its capacitor plates or rheophores 50 r connected to respective conductive portions.
- the capacitor 50 is able to electrically connect to each other conductive portions that are apt to short-circuit contact elements apt to carry ground, power, or input/output signals.
- such an embodiment allows to maximize the filtering effect of the capacitors 50 , and therefore to reduce the interferences caused by contact elements that carry ground and power signals to a minimum, as well as to optimize the loop-back technique, since said capacitors 50 are thus positioned as close as possible to the contact tips of the contact elements (i.e., on the lower guide 40 ), namely close to the wafer 27 .
- the capacitor 50 has a first capacitor plate 50 r 1 connected to a conductive portion which includes a plurality of guide holes (the conductive portion 30 ′ in the figure but not limited to this) and the other capacitor plate 50 r 2 connected to a conductive portion that includes and metallizes a single guide hole.
- the circuit component 50 which is preferably a filtering capacitor, may also be any other component suited for specific needs, as for example an inductor or a resistor or a relay, possibly housed in suitable housing seats formed in the guide.
- an inductor or a resistor or a relay possibly housed in suitable housing seats formed in the guide.
- the present disclosure provides a testing head wherein at least one guide comprises at least one conductive portion that includes and electrically connects to each other guide holes apt to house contact elements carrying a same type of signal.
- the contact elements that carry ground signals are therefore electrically connected in the testing head, preferably at the lower guide, which allows to considerably reduce (or even to completely eliminate) the signal noise generated by the different grounds, since the conductive portion of the guide forms a ground plane common to all the ground contact elements.
- the electrical connection between the contact elements that carry power signals contributes to reducing interferences and therefore the noise in the testing head.
- the present disclosure allows an overall improvement of the frequency performances of the testing head.
- contact elements that carry operating signals i.e., input/output signals
- the electrical connection between contact elements that carry operating signals i.e., input/output signals
- ground and power contact elements allow to improve also the current performances of the testing head of the present disclosure, also avoiding possible burning of the contact elements.
- a common pad allows to access to the contact elements directly from the housing of the testing head, such a common pad therefore replacing the plurality of contact pads and also allowing monitoring of the respective signals.
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Abstract
Description
- The present disclosure relates to a testing head for testing electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor substrate. More in particular, the present disclosure relates to a testing head comprising at least one guide provided with a plurality of guide holes apt to house a plurality of contact elements, and the following description is made with reference to this application field with the only purpose of simplifying the exposition.
- As it is well known, a testing head (probe head) is a device apt to place a plurality of contact pads of a microstructure, such as an electronic device integrated on a wafer, into electrical contact with corresponding channels of a testing machine performing the working test thereof, in particular the electrical one, or generically the test.
- The test, which is performed on integrated devices, is particularly useful to detect and isolate defective devices yet in the manufacturing step. Generally, the testing heads are thus used to electrically test the devices that are integrated on a wafer before cutting and assembling them inside a chip containing package.
- Generally, a testing head comprises a plurality of contact elements or contact probes retained by at least one guide or by at least one pair of guides (or supports) which are substantially plate-shaped and parallel to each other. Those guides are provided with suitable holes and are arranged at a certain distance from each other so as to leave a free space or air gap for the movement and the possible deformation of the contact probes, which are slidingly housed in those guide holes. The pair of guides comprises in particular an upper guide and a lower guide, both provided with respective guide holes where the contact probes axially slide, the probes being usually made of wires of special alloys having good electrical and mechanical properties.
- The good connection between the contact probes and the contact pads of the device under test is guaranteed by pressing the testing head on the device itself, the contact probes undergoing a bending inside the air gap between the guides and a sliding within the respective guide holes during that pressing contact. Testing heads of this kind are usually called “vertical probe head”.
- Substantially, the vertical probe testing heads have a gap in which the bending of the contact probes occurs, the bending being possibly assisted by means of a suitable configuration of the probes themselves or of their guides, as schematically shown in
FIG. 1 . - In particular,
FIG. 1 schematically shows atesting head 1 comprising at least oneupper guide 2, usually indicated as “upper die”, and alower guide 3, usually indicated as “lower die”, separated by agap 13, havingrespective guide holes 4 and 5 in which a plurality of contact probes 6 slides, only one probe of the plurality of contact probes being shown inFIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity. - Each contact probe 6 terminates at an end with a
contact tip 7 apt to abut onto acontact pad 8 of a device under test integrated on awafer 9, in order to carry out the mechanical and electrical contact between the device under test and a test equipment (not shown) of which such a testing head is a terminal element. - Here and hereinafter, the term “contact tip” indicates an end zone or region of a contact probe apt to contact a contact pad of the device under test, such an end zone or region not necessarily being sharp.
- In some cases, the contact probes are fixedly fastened to the testing head at the upper guide: in such cases, the testing heads are referred to as “blocked probe testing heads”.
- More frequently, testing heads having probes not fixedly fastened are used, those probes being interfaced to a board, possibly by means of a micro-contact board: those testing heads are referred to as “non-blocked probe testing heads”. The micro-contact board is usually called “space transformer” since, besides contacting the probes, it also allows to spatially redistribute the contact pads made on it with respect to the contact pads of the device to be tested, in particular relaxing the distance constraints between the centers of the pads themselves.
- In this case, as shown in
FIG. 1 , each contact probe 6 has a further end zone or region which terminates with a so-calledcontact head 10 towards acontact pad 11 of a plurality of contact pads of aspace transformer 12. The good electrical contact between probes 6 andspace transformer 12 is ensured by the pressing contact of thetesting heads 10 of the contact probes 6 on thecontact pads 11 of thespace transformer 12, analogously to the contact between thecontact tips 7 and thecontact pads 8 of the device under test integrated on thewafer 9. - Contact elements in the form of pogo pins are also known in the art, the pogo pins essentially comprising an elastic body connected to two end portions, the elastic body compressing upon contact of the end portions with the contact pads of the device under test and of the space transformer.
- Generally, inside a testing head, the contact elements are divided into contact elements apt to carry power and ground signals towards the device under test, and into contact elements apt to carry operating signals, in particular input/output signals, between the test equipment and the device under test.
- In the case of a testing head of the kind described above, it is well known that the presence of several contact elements apt to carry ground signals, as well as the presence of contact elements apt to carry power signals, creates interferences, therefore causing noise in the input/output signals used for the test of the device under test, which limits the frequency performance of the testing head. In the case of contact elements apt to carry ground signals, disadvantageous ground loops may also occur.
- The possible necessity of shorting two or more contact pads of the device under test is also known. According to a known solution, known in the field as “loop-back”, it is possible to short two contact pads of the device under test by means of the contact probes of the testing head, wherein a first probe carries a signal from a first pad of the device under test towards the test equipment and then the signal is closed on a second pad of the device under test by means of a second contact probe which contacts said second pad. In this case, however, the long path of the signal from the device under test to the test equipment and vice versa causes a reduction of the frequency performance of the testing head.
- Conductive structures apt to electrically connect contact probes to each other are disclosed for example in US 2012/0242360 A1, KR 101 421 051 B1, US 2014/0197860 A1, and WO 2012/106220 A1.
- However, the need to improve the frequency performances of a testing head is strongly felt in this technical field.
- The testing head is able to reduce a simple way (and to eliminate in a simple way too) the interferences, and therefore the noise, caused by the presence of ground and power contact elements, as well as able to allow an electrical connection between contact pads of a device under test without reducing the frequency performances of the testing head itself.
- According to an aspect of the disclosure, the testing head wherein at least one guide is provided with guide holes for housing contact elements apt to carry operating signals, i.e., input/output signals between a test equipment and a device under test, as well as contact elements apt to carry ground and power signals, at least one group of the guide holes into which said ground contact elements are housed, and/or at least one group of the guide holes into which said power contact elements are housed, and/or at least one group of the guide holes into which said input/output contact elements are housed being electrically connected by a conductive portion made in the guide, said conductive portion forming a common conductive plane.
- The testing head apt to verify the operation of a device under test integrated on a semiconductor wafer comprises:
-
- a plurality of contact elements, each comprising a body that extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, and
- a guide provided with a plurality of guide holes apt to house the contact elements,
- wherein the guide comprises a conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a group of guide holes to each other and is apt to contact a corresponding group of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal.
- According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the testing head can comprise at least one first conductive portion and at least one second conductive portion, the first conductive portion including and electrically connecting the holes of a first group of the guide holes to each other, such a first group housing first contact elements, the second conductive portion including and electrically connecting the holes of a second group of the guide holes to each other, such a second group housing second contact elements.
- In particular, the first contact elements housed in the first group of the guide holes can be apt to carry ground signals, and the second contact elements housed in the second group of the guide holes can be apt to carry power signals.
- More in particular, one of the first and second conductive portions can be formed on a face of the at least one guide, and the other one of the first and second conductive portions can be formed on an opposite face of the at least one guide.
- According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one conductive portion can be separated from further conductive portions and/or can be locally interrupted by at least one non-conductive zone, so as not to allow an electrical connection between contact elements apt to carry a different type of signal and/or contact elements which must not be short-circuited.
- It is observed that the at least one guide can comprise at least one coating dielectric portion covering the at least one non-conductive zone.
- Furthermore, the testing head can comprise at least one lower guide, at least one intermediate guide, and at least one upper guide, the lower guide and the intermediate guide being separated from each other by a first gap, the intermediate guide and the upper guide being separated from each other by a second gap, each of those guides comprising respective guide holes for the housing of the contact elements, one of the first and second conductive portion being formed on a face of the lower guide and the other one of the first and second conductive portion being formed on a face of the intermediate guide.
- Alternatively, the testing head can comprise at least one lower guide, at least one intermediate guide, and at least one upper guide, the lower guide and the intermediate guide being separated from each other by a first gap, the intermediate guide and the upper guide being separated from each other by a second gap, each of those guides comprising respective guide holes for the housing of the contact elements, both the lower guide and the intermediate guide comprising both the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion being physically and electrically separated from each other by a non-conductive zone of the guides.
- In particular, in this case too, the first contact elements housed in the first group of the guide holes can be apt to carry ground signals, and the second contact elements housed in the second group of the guide holes can be apt to carry power signals.
- Furthermore, the testing head can comprise at least one third conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a third group of the guide holes to each other, such a third group housing third contact elements. In particular, the third contact elements housed in the third group of the guide holes can be apt to carry input/output signals between the device under test and a test equipment.
- According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one conductive portion can cover at least one portion of an inner surface of each guide hole of the group of guide holes.
- According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the contact elements can be contact probes wherein the body has a deformation.
- Alternatively, the contact elements can be pogo pins, the body comprising a casing and an elastic member arranged in the casing, the casing defining a first surface and a second surface, at least one of those surfaces being apt to abut onto the at least one guide, the electrical connection between the contact elements and the at least one conductive portion being a pressing contact through the first and/or second surface.
- According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one guide can comprise at least one common pad connected to the at least one conductive portion by means of a conductive track.
- According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one conductive portion can be arranged on a face of the at least one guide and can have a lower area than an area of the face of the at least one guide.
- Alternatively, the at least one conductive portion can cover a face of the at least one guide, such a conductive portion electrically connecting the holes of the at least one of the guide holes to each other, with the exception of areas where guide holes not belonging to that at least one group are formed.
- According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one guide can comprise at least one further conductive portion, which includes one of the guide holes apt to house a single contact element, the at least one guide comprising a further common pad connected to the at least one further conductive portion by means of a further conductive track and/or comprising a conductive track that connects the at least one further conductive portion to other conductive portions.
- It is also noted that the at least one conductive portion can be embedded in the at least one guide.
- According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the at least one conductive portion can comprise a plurality of conductive portions overlapped to and electrically insulated from each other.
- According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the testing head can comprise at least one conductive track that electrically connects at least two conductive portions including and electrically connecting the holes of two respective groups of guide holes to each other and being apt to contact respective groups of contact elements, the contact elements included in those respective groups being apt to carry a same type of signal.
- Finally, the testing head can further comprise at least one circuit component, preferably a capacitor, which is electrically connected at least to the at least one conductive portion of the at least one guide.
- The features and advantages of the testing head according to the disclosure will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
-
FIG. 1 schematically shows a testing head according to the prior art; -
FIGS. 2A-2C schematically show a testing head according to different embodiments of the present disclosure; -
FIGS. 3A-3C schematically show a top view of a guide of the testing head ofFIGS. 2A-2C , respectively, whereasFIG. 3D schematically shows a top view of a guide of a testing head according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure; -
FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically show a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure; -
FIGS. 5A and 5B schematically show a portion of a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 6 schematically shows a portion of a testing head according to yet another alternative embodiment of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 7 schematically shows a testing head according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein contact elements are in the form of pogo pins; -
FIGS. 8A-8C schematically show top views of a guide of a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure; -
FIGS. 9A and 9B schematically show top views of a guide of a testing head according to further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure; and -
FIGS. 10A and 10B schematically show top views of a guide of a testing head according to yet further alternative embodiments of the present disclosure. - With reference to those figures, and in particular to the example of
FIG. 2A , a testing head for testing electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor wafer according to the present disclosure is globally and schematically indicated with 20. - It is worth noting that the figures represent schematic views and are not drawn to scale, but instead they are drawn so as to emphasize the important features of the disclosure. Moreover, in the figures, the different elements are depicted in a schematic manner, their shape varying depending on the application desired. It is also noted that in the figures the same reference numbers refer to elements that are identical in shape or function. Finally, particular features described in relation to an embodiment illustrated in a figure are also applicable to the other embodiments illustrated in the other figures.
- As shown in
FIG. 2A , thetesting head 20 comprises at least one guide 40 (a lower guide in the example of the figure) provided with a plurality of guide holes 40 h apt to house a plurality of contact elements. In particular, the guide holes 40 h are apt to house a plurality offirst contact elements 21′, which are apt to carry a first type of signal, a plurality ofsecond contact elements 21″, which are apt to carry a second type of signal, as well as a plurality ofthird contact elements 21′″, which are apt to carry a third type of signal, as it will be described in greater detail hereinafter. - The
guide 40 is made of a non-conductive material, for example a ceramic material such as silicon nitride, or of a glass or silicon-based material, or of a polyamide material, or of any other suitable dielectric material. - Generally, the
testing head 20 is used to verify the operation of a device under which comprises at least one first region apt to receive power and ground signals, and a second region apt to receive/send input/output signals from/to a test equipment (not shown) connected to thetesting head 20. In the first region, high current power signals, usually in the range of 1 A or higher, are handled, as well as ground signals, whereas in the second region operating signals, i.e., input/output signals having lower current values, usually in the range of 0.5 A or lower, are handled. For this reason, in thetesting head 20 there are contact elements apt to carry power and ground signals and contact elements apt to carry input/output signals towards/from a device under test, those contact elements being distinct from each other and having different physical and mechanical characteristics. - At this regard, it is underlined that in the present disclosure the term “first contact elements” identifies the contact elements apt to carry ground signals (
reference number 21′), the term “second contact elements” identifies the contact elements apt to carry power signals (reference number 21″), whereas the term “third contact elements” (reference number 21′″) identifies the contact elements apt to carry operating signals, input/output signals between the test equipment and the device under test, wherein this distinction does not limit the scope of the present disclosure. - For example, in the case of contact elements in the form of probes formed by metal wires, in the manufacturing of the first and
second contact elements 21′ and 21″ it is possible to use wires having different diameters, for example a larger diameter, compared to the diameter of the wires that form thethird contact elements 21″; it is possible to use also different materials for these different contact elements. - In the example of
FIG. 2A , six contact elements are shown, in particular twofirst contact elements 21′, twosecond contact elements 21″ and twothird contact elements 21′″, but the number of those contact elements may obviously vary according to needs and/or circumstances, the figures being provided only for indicative purposes and not limiting the present disclosure. - Furthermore, again as a non-limiting example of the disclosure,
FIG. 2A shows atesting head 20 wherein the contact elements are in the form of contact probes, preferably formed by metallic wires, having abody 21 pr, which has a pre-deformation and is apt to further deform upon the pressing contact with the contact pads of a device under test, said contact probes being housed in the guide holes 40 h, which are formed in thesingle guide 40, but the disclosure is not limited to this and thetesting head 20 can comprise a lower guide, an intermediate guide, and an upper guide, as well as a different kind of contact elements, as it will be illustrated in detail hereinafter. - Each contact element of the
testing head 20 therefore comprises thebody 21 pr, which extends along a longitudinal axis H-H between a first end portion orcontact tip 24 and a second end portion orcontact head 25. - More in particular, the
contact tip 24 is apt to abut ontocorresponding contact pads 26 of a device under test integrated in asemiconductor wafer 27. - Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the
testing head 20 is a non-blocked-probe testing head and the contact elements terminate with thecontact head 25 which is apt to abut ontocorresponding contact pads 28 of an interposer orspace transformer 29. - In particular, the
space transformer 29 is apt to perform a spatial transformation of the distances between the pitches of the contact pads on opposite faces thereof, thespace transformer 29 being generally connected to a printed circuit board or PCB (not shown), which is interfaced with the test equipment (also not shown). - Advantageously according to the present disclosure, the
guide 40 comprises at least one firstconductive portion 30′ which includes afirst group 40′ of guide holes 40 h. In other words, the firstconductive portion 30′ covers an area of theguide 40 which includes thefirst group 40′ of theholes 40 h, which are therefore formed at said area. - In particular, the guide holes of the
first group 40′ are electrically connected to each other by the firstconductive portion 30′ and house a corresponding group of contact elements, in particular a group of thefirst contact elements 21′, and therefore house contact elements apt to carry ground signals towards the device under test. In this way, the firstconductive portion 30′ forms a common conductive plane, in particular a ground plane, for thefirst contact elements 21′ housed in the guide holes of thefirst group 40′, saidfirst contact elements 21′ being therefore electrically connected to each other by means of the ground plane, with which they are all in contact. - In other words, in the
testing head 20, thefirst contact elements 21′, which are short-circuited among each other and are housed in thefirst group 40′ of the guide holes 40 h, are apt to carry a same ground signal, resulting in the elimination of interferences on the operating signals and in an overall improvement of the frequency performance of thecontact head 20. - As shown in
FIG. 2A , the firstconductive portion 30′ is arranged on a superficial portion of theguide 40, in particular on a face FA thereof, said face FA being an upper face according to the local reference system ofFIG. 2A . The firstconductive portion 30′ may also be arranged on a face FB, opposite the face FA, of theguide 40, said face FB being a lower face according to the local reference system ofFIG. 2A , or it may be arranged on both the faces FA and FB. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 2A , as previously described, thefirst contact elements 21′ of thetesting head 20 are contact probes having thebody 21 pr provided with a pre-deformation and apt to further deform itself during the contact with thecontact pads space transformer 29, respectively. In this case, the firstconductive portion 30′ preferably covers also at least oneportion 40′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of thefirst group 40′ of the guide holes 40 h. More preferably, the internal surface of the guide holes of thefirst group 40′ is entirely coated by the firstconductive portion 30′, theportion 40′W therefore coinciding with the entire inner surface of the holes. The electrical connection between the first contact probes 21′ and the firstconductive portion 30′ is therefore achieved by means of a brushing contact between thebody 21 pr of the probes and the metallizedportion 40′W of the guide holes into which the probes are housed. - However, it is underlined that also in the case in which the first
conductive portion 30′ does not coat the guide hole surface, the brushing contact is in any case guaranteed by the thickness of the firstconductive portion 30′ itself. - In an embodiment not shown in the figures, it is also possible to form the first
conductive portion 30′ in such a way that it is embedded inguide 40, in this way forming a ground plane which electrically connects the guide holes of thefirst group 40′ within theguide 40. Obviously, such a firstconductive portion 30′ emerges at the inner surface of the guide holes in order to electrically contact the first contact probes 21′. - The presence of the first
conductive portion 30′, which allows to electrically connect at least one group of thefirst contact elements 21′ apt to carry ground signals and therefore forming a common conductive (ground) plane, allows to eliminate the noise in the operating signals carried by thethird contact elements 21′″ inside thetesting head 20. - In this way, the first
conductive portion 30′, by electrically connecting the holes of thefirst group 40′ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, short-circuits at least one corresponding group of thefirst contact elements 21′, said group in particular being a group of ground contact elements. - In order to further reduce the noise, it is preferable that also the
second contact elements 21″, apt to carry power signals, are electrically connected to each other, and as a consequence, in an embodiment represented inFIG. 2B , theguide 40 comprises at least one secondconductive portion 30″ which includes and electrically connects the holes of asecond group 40″ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, wherein a corresponding group of thesecond contact elements 21″ is housed in thesecond group 40″, the secondconductive portion 30″ being physically separated from the firstconductive portion 30′ and therefore not electrically connected thereto. In this case, thesecond contact elements 21″ connected by the secondconductive portion 30″, i.e., housed in thesecond group 40″ of the guide holes 40 h, are apt to carry power signals and the secondconductive portion 30″ also forms a common conductive plane, in particular a power plane. - In this way, in the
testing head 20, thesecond contact elements 21″ housed in thesecond group 40″ of the guide holes 40 h are short-circuited to each other and are apt to carry a same power signal. - As illustrated for the first
conductive portion 30′, the secondconductive portion 30″ is arranged on a superficial portion ofguide 40 too, i.e., it is arranged on the face FA and/or on the face FB of theguide 40. Furthermore, also the secondconductive portion 30″ coats at least oneportion 40″W of an inner surface of each guide hole of thesecond group 40″ of the guide holes 40 h (preferably the entire surface), the electrical connection between thesecond contact elements 21″ and the secondconductive portion 30″ being guaranteed by the brushing contact between thebody 21 pr of thesecond contact elements 21″ and theportion 40″W coated by a conductive material (metallized). - It is appropriate to observe again that, in its more general form, the
testing head 20 comprises contact elements apt to carry ground and power signals, as well as contact elements apt to carry operating signals, housed in the guides according to any kind of combination, the conductive portions being appropriately shaped so as to short-circuit even non-adjacent guide holes. - In an embodiment of the present disclosure shown in
FIG. 2C , theguide 40 further comprises at least one thirdconductive portion 30′″ which includes and electrically connects the holes of athird group 40′″ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, wherein a corresponding group of thethird contact elements 21′″ is housed in thethird group 40′″, the thirdconductive portion 30′″ being physically separated from the firstconductive portion 30′ and from the secondconductive portion 30″ and therefore not electrically connected thereto. In this case, thethird contact elements 21′″ connected by the thirdconductive portion 30′″, i.e., housed in thethird group 40′″ of the guide holes 40 h, are apt to carry operating signals, that is input/output signals between the device under test and the test equipment, and also the thirdconductive portion 30′″ forms on a common conductive plane, in particular a signal plane. - In this way, in the
testing head 20, thethird contact elements 21′″ housed in thethird group 40′″ of the guide holes 40 h are short-circuited to each other and are apt to carry a same operating signal, that is a same input/output signal between the device under test and the test equipment. - The embodiment of
FIG. 2C is particularly advantageous in case of a necessity of short-circuiting two or more contact pads of the device under test, since it is possible to establish a loop-back configuration while considerably shortening the path of the signals, which do not pass through the entire contact element towards/from the test equipment but stop at the common conductive signal plane, with consequent advantages in terms of frequency performance of thetesting head 20. - As illustrated for the first
conductive portion 30′ and the secondconductive portion 30″, the thirdconductive portion 30′″ is arranged on a superficial portion ofguide 40, that is it is arranged on the face FA and/or the face FB ofguide 40. Furthermore, the thirdconductive portion 30′″ coats at least oneportion 40′″W of an inner surface of each guide hole of thethird group 40′″ of the guide holes 40 h (preferably the entire surface), the electrical connection between thethird contact elements 21′″ and the thirdconductive portion 30′″ being guaranteed by the brushing contact between thebody 21 pr of thethird contact elements 21′″ and theportion 40′″W coated with conductive material (metallized). - The
conductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ are made of a metallic material for example selected from copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh) and alloys thereof. - Obviously, even if not shown in the figures, it is possible to provide a configuration in which only the first
conductive portion 30′ is present, a configuration in which only the secondconductive portion 30″ is present, or a configuration in which only the thirdconductive portion 30′″ is present, or any combination thereof. -
FIG. 3A shows a top view ofguide 40, in particular of the face FA thereof, wherein the firstconductive portion 30′ electrically connects the holes of thefirst group 40′ of the guide holes 40 h, thefirst group 40′ being apt to house a corresponding group of thefirst contact elements 21′ which carry ground signals, whereasFIG. 3B shows a top view of theguide 40, still of the face FA thereof, wherein, in addition to the firstconductive portion 30′, also the secondconductive portion 30″ is formed, which electrically connects the holes of thesecond group 40″ of the guide holes 40 h, thesecond group 40″ being apt to house a corresponding group of thesecond contact elements 21″ which carry power signals, and is physically and electrically separated from the firstconductive portion 30′ by anon-conductive zone 31 ofguide 40. Similarly,FIG. 3C shows a top view ofguide 40, still of the face FA thereof, wherein, in addition to the firstconductive portion 30′ and to the secondconductive portion 30″, also the thirdconductive portion 30′″ is formed, which electrically connects the holes of thethird group 40′″ of the guide holes 40 h, thethird group 40′″ being apt to house a corresponding group of thethird contact elements 21′″ which carry input/output signals, and is physically and electrically separated from theconductive portions 30′ and 30″ by thenon-conductive zone 31 ofguide 40. - It is observed that the first
conductive portion 30′, the secondconductive portion 30″, and the thirdconductive portion 30′″ only coat a superficial portion ofguide 40, in particular only a portion of its face FA and/or its face FB, namely the first, the second and the thirdconductive portion 30′, 30″, 30′″ do not extend over the entire area of the face FA and/or FB, so as to prevent contact elements that are not meant to be short-circuited from being short-circuited to each other. In other words, theconductive portions 30′, 30″, 30′″ have an area that is less than an area of the face of the guide on which they are formed. - The
guide 40 is therefore not entirely coated by theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″, and at least thenon-conductive zone 31, which separates the conductive portions, is present, the guide holes housing contact elements not meant to be short-circuited being formed in such anon-conductive zone 31. - Alternatively, in a further embodiment of the present disclosure shown in
FIG. 3D , the firstconductive portion 30′ covers a face of the guide 40 (the face FA in the example), except for areas where guide holes apt to house contact elements that must not be short-circuited are formed. In other words, the firstconductive portion 30′ is not formed in areas where the guide holes that do not belong togroup 40′ are formed. In this case, thenon-conductive zone 31 is therefore formed only at the guide holes that do not belong to thefirst group 40′. It is underlined that, in this case, thenon-conductive zone 31 may also be in the form of a plurality of non-conductive zones, each formed only at a guide hole that has to be electrically insulated. The same configuration can be adopted also for the secondconductive portion 30″ and for the thirdconductive portion 30′″. - At this regard, it is possible to provide that the
non-conductive zone 31 is covered by at least one added portion of dielectric material or coating dielectric portion arranged onguide 40, so as to avoid the presence of grooves inguide 40, for example between different conductive portions or at guide holes that don't have to be metallized, where metallic debris produced by the brushing contact of the contact elements with the walls of the guide holes may settle. In other words, the coating dielectric portion, which preferably has a thickness that is substantially equal to that of the conductive portions, coats thenon-conductive zones 31 preventing metallic debris from settling therein, so as to avoid leakage and undesired electrical connections between contact elements apt to carry a different kind of signal. - It is also possible that all the contact elements that carry a same kind of signal (for example all the input/output contact elements or all the ground or power contact elements) are electrically connected by means of one of the
conductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″, or that only some of them are connected by one of theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″. - Furthermore, according to an alternative embodiment shown in
FIG. 4A , thetesting head 20 comprises at least one lower guide, still indicated with 40, at least oneintermediate guide 41, and at least oneupper guide 42. Thelower guide 40 and theintermediate guide 41 are separated from each other by a suitablefirst gap 32′, whereas theintermediate guide 41 and theupper guide 42 are separated from each other by a suitablesecond gap 32″. - It is preferable to form the
conductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ in thelower guide 40 and/or in theintermediate guide 41 of thetesting head 20, since in this way theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ are closer to the device under test. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 4A , theintermediate guide 41 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 41 h, apt to house thecontact elements 21′, 21″ and 21′″. - Similarly, the
upper guide 42 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 42 h, apt to house thecontact elements 21′, 21″ and 21′″. - Conveniently, also the
intermediate guide 41 may comprise the firstconductive portion 30′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of afirst group 41′ of the guide holes 41 h to each other, saidfirst group 41′ housing a corresponding group of thefirst contact elements 21′, which carry ground signals. Furthermore, theintermediate guide 41 may also comprise the secondconductive portion 30″, which includes and electrically connects the holes of asecond group 41″ of guide holes 41 h to each other, saidsecond group 41″ housing a correspondent group of thesecond contact elements 21″, which carry power signals. - Similarly, also the
intermediate guide 41 may comprise the thirdconductive portion 30′″, which includes and electrically connects the holes of athird group 41′″ of the guide holes 41 h, saidthird group 41′″ housing a corresponding group of thethird contact elements 21′″, which carry input/output signals. - In the example of
FIG. 4A , which is provided for indicative purposes only and does not limit the scope of present disclosure, the firstconductive portion 30′ is arranged on a superficial portion of theintermediate guide 41, in particular on a face FD thereof, said face FD being a lower face according to local reference system ofFIG. 4A . The firstconductive portion 30′ may also be arranged on a face FC, opposite to the face FD, of theintermediate guide 41, said face FC being an upper face according to local reference system ofFIG. 4A , or it may be arranged on both faces FC and FD. Theconductive portions 30″ and 30′″ may be formed analogously. - As already observed for the
lower guide 40, theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ only cover a superficial portion of theintermediate guide 41 as well, in particular only a portion of its face FC and/or its face FD, namely theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ do not extend over the entire area of the face FC and/or FD and therefore do not extend over the entire area of theintermediate guide 41. - Furthermore, in the example of
FIG. 4A , thetesting head 20 is manufactured according to the so-called “shifted plate technology”, wherein thecontact elements 21′, 21″ and 21′″, are “buckling beam” contact probes and are initially formed straight, the relative shift of the guides causing a deformation of the probe body, as well as the desired retention of the probes itself thanks to the friction with the walls of the guide holes into which they slide. - In this case, as previously observed for the
lower guide 40, also in theintermediate guide 41 the firstconductive portion 30′ coats at least oneportion 41′W of an inner surface of each guide hole of thefirst group 41′ of the guide holes 41 h, the secondconductive portion 30″ coats at least oneportion 41″W of an inner surface of each guide hole of thesecond group 41″ of the guide holes 41 h, and the thirdconductive portion 30′″ coats at least oneportion 41′″W of an inner surface of each guide hole of thethird group 41′″ of guide holes 41 h, the electrical connection between the contact probes 21′, 21″ and 21′″ and theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ being established by means of a brushing contact between thebody 21 pr of the contact probes and the metallizedportions 41′W, 41″W and 41′″W, respectively. - It is possible to provide a configuration wherein only one between the
lower guide 40 and theintermediate guide 41 comprises the firstconductive portion 30′ and/or the secondconductive portion 30″, or it is also possible to provide a configuration wherein both thelower guide 40 and theintermediate guide 41 comprise the firstconductive portion 30′ and/or the secondconductive portion 30″. -
FIG. 4A shows as an example an embodiment wherein both thelower guide 40 and theintermediate guide 41 comprise both the firstconductive portion 30′ and the secondconductive portion 30″. This embodiment also increases the possibility of a brushing contact between the contact probes and theconductive portions 30′ and 30″ and possibly the metallizedportions 41′W and 41″W. - Still referring to
FIG. 4A , it is possible to provide a configuration wherein both theintermediate guide 41 and thelower guide 40 comprise the thirdconductive portion 30′″. Alternatively, it is possible to provide a configuration wherein only one between theintermediate guide 41 and thelower guide 40 comprises the thirdconductive portion 30′″ which short-circuits input/output signal contact elements, preferably thelower guide 40. - In another embodiment, schematically shown in
FIG. 4B , the firstconductive portion 30′ is formed on one between thelower guide 40 and theintermediate guide 41, in particular thelower guide 40, and the secondconductive portion 30″ is formed on the other between thelower guide 40 and theintermediate guide 41, in particular theintermediate guide 41, in the illustrated example on two faces thereof facing each other, in particular the upper face FA of thelower guide 40 and the lower face FD of theintermediate guide 41, according to the local reference system ofFIG. 4B . Obviously, in this embodiment as well one between the twoguides lower guide 40, may comprise the thirdconductive portion 30′″. This embodiment simplifies the formation of theconductive portions 30′, 30″, 30″ on different guides. - Obviously, for both the embodiment of
FIG. 4A and the embodiment ofFIG. 4B , it is possible to provide that also theupper guide 42 comprises the firstconductive portion 30′ and/or the secondconductive portion 30″ and/or the thirdconductive portion 30′″, as well as it is also possible to provide a configuration wherein theintermediate guide 41 is not present but only theupper guide 42, on which the firstconductive portion 30′ and/or the secondconductive portion 30″ and/or the thirdconductive portion 30′″ can be formed, is present. - In another embodiment of the present disclosure, shown in
FIGS. 5A and 5B , a same guide, in particular thelower guide 40 in the example of the figures, comprises the firstconductive portion 30′, which is formed on the face FA, and comprises the secondconductive portion 30″, which is formed on the opposite face FB. Analogous considerations can be made for theintermediate guide 41 and the faces FC and FD on which the first and/or secondconductive portions 30′ and 30″ can be formed, and also for theupper guide 42. - It is observed that this embodiment, wherein the first
conductive portion 30′ and the secondconductive portion 30″ are formed on two opposite faces of the same guide, is particularly advantageous, since, as schematically shown inFIG. 5B , in many cases thefirst contact elements 21′ (apt to carry ground signals) and thesecond contact elements 21″ (apt to carry power signals) are very close to each other in thetesting head 20, for example alternated one after the other, and for this reason it is complicated to form bothconductive portions 30′ and 30″ on a same face of a guide of thetesting head 20. In other words, in this embodiment, one of the first and secondconductive portions 30′ or 30″ is apt to electrically connect thefirst contact elements 21′ (apt to carry ground signals), whereas the other conductive portion, formed on an opposite face of the same guide, is apt to electrically connect thesecond contact elements 21″ (apt to carry power signals), in particular alternated with thefirst contact elements 21′, in this way simplifying the production of thetesting head 20 and avoiding complicated interlacement of conductive portions. If thefirst contact elements 21′ apt to carry ground signals and thesecond contact elements 21″ apt to carry power signals are alternated one after the other, both theconductive portions 30′ and 30″ are locally interrupted by suitablenon-conductive zones 31′ and 31″ (similarly to what observed in relation toFIGS. 3A-3D ), respectively, so as to avoid an electrical connection between ground contact elements and power contact elements. Thenon-conductive zones 31′ and 31″ therefore locally prevent an electrical connection between adjacent contact elements apt to carry different signals. - Obviously, even if not shown in
FIGS. 5A and 5B , in this embodiment it is also possible to provide the presence, on one of the two faces of the guide, or even on both faces, of the thirdconductive portion 30′″, the latter also possibly interrupted by suitable non-conductive zones if thethird contact elements 21′″ are very close, for example alternated, to thefirst contact elements 21′ and/or thesecond contact elements 21″. - According to a further alternative embodiment of the present disclosure illustrated in
FIG. 6 , one or more of theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ (the secondconductive portion 30″ inFIG. 6 ) comprises a plurality of conductive portions that are overlapped and electrically insulated from each other, said conductive portions being identified with thereference number 30″1-30″n inFIG. 6 . In this case, afirst layer 30″1 is formed on the face FA ofguide 40, and the subsequent layers are formed starting from thefirst layer 30″1, consecutive conductive layers being separated from each other by a non-conductive layer 38″. In this way, different conductive layers may form common conductive plans for different power (or ground or signal) domains, if needed by a particular application. - As an example, if the
testing head 20 has to carry a plurality of different power signals (indicated inFIG. 6 as Vcc1 and Vcc2), in this embodiment the face FA of theguide 40 comprises a corresponding number oflayers 30″1-30″n of the secondconductive portion 30″, each layer being apt to electrically connect the respectivesecond contact elements 21″ apt to carry a single specific power signal. Furthermore, the other face of the guide, in the example the face FB, can be covered by the firstconductive portion 30′, which electrically connects thecontact elements 21′ apt to carry ground signals. In this case too, each conductive layer may be locally interrupted by suitablenon-conductive zones 31″ in order to not electrically connect contact elements that must not be short-circuited to each other. In particular, thenon-conductive zones 31″ of a layer are formed at the holes housing contact elements that must not be short-circuited by said layer, whereas said layer covers at least partially the walls of the guide holes housing contact elements that must be short-circuited by it. - The
conductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″ may therefore be more than one, as there can be more than one power, ground and signal domains (the latter occurs when different groups of pads of the device under test need to be short-circuited), and possibly may be arranged on different levels if required. - As observed before, in
FIGS. 2A-2C, 4A-4B, 5A-5B and 6 , thecontact elements 21′, 21″ and 21′″ are contact probes of the “buckling beam” type. In a further alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, shown inFIG. 7 , the contact elements oftesting head 20 are in the form of pogo pins. In this embodiment, thetesting head 20 comprises thelower guide 40 and theupper guide 42 and does not comprise theintermediate guide 41. - In particular, each
contact element 21′, 21″ and 21′″ comprises abody 21 pp that includes acasing 33 and anelastic member 34 arranged inside thecasing 33. A first end of theelastic member 34 is connected to a first end portion orcontact tip 24 of the pogo pin, whereas a second end of theelastic element 34, opposite the first end, is connected to a second end portion orcontact head 25 of the pogo pin. Thecontact tip 24, which is inserted into guide holes 40 h formed in thelower guide 40, is apt to abut ontocontact pads 26 of a device under test integrated on awafer 27, whereas thecontact head 25, which is inserted into guide holes 42 h formed in theupper guide 42, is apt to abut ontocontact pads 28 of aspace transformer 29, thelower guide 40 and theupper guide 42 being separated by agap 35. - The
casing 33 of each pogo pin preferably has a cylindrical shape, but obviously other shapes are also possible. - Conveniently, the
lower guide 40 and/or theupper guide 42 comprises the firstconductive portion 30′, which includes and electrically connects the holes of afirst group 40′ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, and/or the holes of afirst group 42′ of guide holes 42 h. Obviously, thelower guide 40 and/or theupper guide 42 may also comprise the secondconductive portion 30″, which includes and electrically connects the holes of asecond group 40″ of the guide holes 40 h to each other, and/or the holes asecond group 42″ of guide holes 42 h. Thelower guide 40 and/or theupper guide 42 may also comprise the thirdconductive portion 30′″, which includes and electrically connects the holes of athird group 40′″ of guide holes 40 h to each other, and/or the holes of athird group 42′″ of the guide holes 42 h, the thirdconductive portion 30′″ being preferably formed on thelower guide 40. - The guide holes of the
first group 40′ and/or of thefirst group 42′ house first contact elements or pogo pins 21′ apt to carry ground signals, the guide holes of thesecond group 40″ and/or of thesecond group 42″ house second contact elements or pogo pins 21″ apt to carry power signals, whereas the guide holes of thethird group 40′″ and/or thethird group 42′″ house third contact elements orpogo pin 21′″ apt to carry input/output signals between the device under test and the test equipment. - The
casing 33 of thebody 21 pp of each pogo pin is shaped so as to define a first surface S1 and a second surface S2, arranged at opposite ends of thecasing 33 along a longitudinal axis H-H thereof, which surfaces S1 and S2 are apt to abut onto thelower guide 40 and theupper guide 42, respectively, thecasing 33 of the pogo pins having a maximum cross-sectional size (generally around 80 μm) that is greater than a diameter of the guide holes, the term diameter indicating a maximum cross-sectional size of the guide holes, even of non-circular section. - The
contact tip 24 and thecontact head 25 are electrically connected to thecasing 33 of the pogo pins, saidcasing 33 being made of a conductive material. - In this way, the pressing contact between the
casing 33, in particular between the surfaces S1 and S2 thereof, and the firstconductive portion 30′ ensures the electrical connection between the first pogo pins 21′ housed in thefirst group 40′ and 42′ of guide holes of thelower guide 40 and theupper guide 42, respectively, said pogo pins being apt to carry ground signals, while the pressing contact between thecasing 33, in particular between the surfaces S1 and S2 thereof, and the secondconductive portion 30″ ensures the electrical connection between the second pogo pins 21″ housed in thesecond group 40″ and 42″ of guide holes of the lower andupper guide casing 33, in particular between the surfaces S1 and S2 thereof, and the thirdconductive portion 30′″ ensures the electrical connection between the third pogo pins 21′″ housed in thethird group 40′″ and 42′″ of guide holes of the lower andupper guides - In other words, the electrical connection between the pogo pins 21′, 21″ and 21′″ and the
conductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″, respectively, is in this case performed by means of a pressing contact of the first surface S1 and the second surface S2 of thecasing 33 on thelower guide 40 and on theupper guide 42, respectively, the conductive portions being formed on a superficial portion of thelower guide 40, in particular on a face FA thereof, said face FA being an upper face according to the local reference system ofFIG. 7 , and/or on a face FE of theupper guide 42, said face FE being a lower face, still according to local reference system ofFIG. 7 . - The use of pogo pins as contact elements is particularly advantageous because in this case it is not necessary to guarantee a brushing contact between the contact elements and the inner surface of the guide holes, a pressing contact between the
casing 33, in particular between the surfaces S1 and S2 thereof, and the guides being sufficient to ensure the proper electrical connection between the conductive portions and the contact elements, wherein suitable groups of those contact elements are in this way electrically connected (short-circuited) to each other. - According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, shown in
FIG. 8A , thelower guide 40, which comprises the firstconductive portion 30′, comprises at least one firstcommon pad 36′ connected to the firstconductive portion 30′ by means of a firstconductive track 37′. In this way, thefirst contact elements 21′ apt to carry ground signals are connected to the firstcommon pad 36′ by means of the firstconductive track 37′, the firstcommon pad 36′ therefore being a common ground pad. Even ifFIG. 8A only shows thelower guide 40, also theintermediate guide 41 and/or theupper guide 42 may comprise a first common pad and a respective first conductive track. - The
common pad 36′ may be connected by means of a first connection wire to a housing (not shown) of thetesting head 20. - Furthermore, as shown in
FIG. 8B , thelower guide 40 and/or theintermediate guide 41 and/or the upper guide 42 (thelower guide 40 in the figure) may comprise at least one secondcommon pad 36″ connected to the secondconductive portion 30″ by means of a secondconductive track 37″. In this way, thesecond contact elements 21″ apt to carry power signals are connected to the secondcommon pad 36″ by means of the secondconductive track 37″, the secondcommon pad 36″ therefore being a common power pad. - As shown in
FIG. 8C , thelower guide 40 and/or theintermediate guide 41 and/or the upper guide 42 (thelower guide 40 in the figure) may also comprise at least one thirdcommon pad 36′″ connected to the thirdconductive portion 30′″ by means of a thirdconductive track 37. In this way, thethird contact elements 21′″ apt to carry input/output operating signals are connected to the thirdcommon pad 36′″ by means of the thirdconductive track 37′″, the thirdcommon pad 36′″ therefore being a common signal pad. - The presence of a
common pad 36′, 36″, 36′″ connected to the respectiveconductive portion 30′, 30″, 30′″ allows to extract a respective signal from thetesting head 20 and to connect it, for example, to a PCB connected to thetesting head 20. The common pad therefore can carry a monitoring signal, for example of the voltage levels on the corresponding guide. - As shown in
FIG. 9A , it is also possible to provide the presence on a guide of a furtherconductive portion 30 bis added to theconductive portions 30′, 30″ and 30′″, the furtherconductive portion 30 bis including and metallizing asingle guide hole 40 h, preferably housing athird contact element 21′″ which carries input/output signals. In this case, the guide also comprises a furthercommon pad 36 bis connected to the furtherconductive portion 30 bis by means of a furtherconductive track 37 bis. In this way, thethird contact element 21′″ housed in such a metallized hole is electrically connected to the furthercommon pad 36 bis by means of the furtherconductive track 37 bis, so that it is possible for example to transport an input/output signal from the furthercommon pad 36 bis towards a PCB. It is also possible to provide the presence of a plurality of further conductive portions, separated from each other, each performing the metallization of a respectivesingle guide hole 40 h, such further conductive portions being possibly connected to each other by means of conductive tracks or by means of circuit components if needed. - Furthermore, according to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure shown in
FIG. 9B , it is possible to provide that at least two conductive portions (two firstconductive portions 30′ inFIG. 9B , but not limited to these) of theguide 40 are electrically connected to each other by means of aconductive track 39 in the guide, so as to be able to electrically connect to each other groups of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal but that are housed in respective groups of guide holes distanced from each other in the guide (twogroups 40′ inFIG. 9B but not limited to these). - Finally, according to an embodiment shown in
FIGS. 10A and 10B , theguide 40, which comprises at least one conductive portion (theconductive portion 30′ in the figures but not limited thereto), also comprises at least onecircuit component 50 connected to the conductive portion, which forms a common conductive plane. - In particular, in the example of
FIG. 10A , theguide 40 comprises at least two conductive portions (two firstconductive portions 30′ in the figure but not limited thereto), thecircuit component 50 being electrically connected thereto. As an example, thecircuit component 50 is a filtering capacitor, still indicated with thereference number 50, having its capacitor plates orrheophores 50 r connected to respective conductive portions. Thecapacitor 50 is able to electrically connect to each other conductive portions that are apt to short-circuit contact elements apt to carry ground, power, or input/output signals. Advantageously, such an embodiment allows to maximize the filtering effect of thecapacitors 50, and therefore to reduce the interferences caused by contact elements that carry ground and power signals to a minimum, as well as to optimize the loop-back technique, since saidcapacitors 50 are thus positioned as close as possible to the contact tips of the contact elements (i.e., on the lower guide 40), namely close to thewafer 27. - Alternatively, as shown in
FIG. 10B , it is also possible to provide a configuration wherein thecapacitor 50 has afirst capacitor plate 50r 1 connected to a conductive portion which includes a plurality of guide holes (theconductive portion 30′ in the figure but not limited to this) and theother capacitor plate 50r 2 connected to a conductive portion that includes and metallizes a single guide hole. - The
circuit component 50, which is preferably a filtering capacitor, may also be any other component suited for specific needs, as for example an inductor or a resistor or a relay, possibly housed in suitable housing seats formed in the guide. For example, it is possible connect a pair of inductors at two conductive portions (such as the two firstconductive portions 30′ in the figure but not limited to these) apt to be short-circuited in a loop-back configuration and to monitor the signal at those conductive portions. - In conclusion, the present disclosure provides a testing head wherein at least one guide comprises at least one conductive portion that includes and electrically connects to each other guide holes apt to house contact elements carrying a same type of signal.
- Advantageously according to the present disclosure, the contact elements that carry ground signals are therefore electrically connected in the testing head, preferably at the lower guide, which allows to considerably reduce (or even to completely eliminate) the signal noise generated by the different grounds, since the conductive portion of the guide forms a ground plane common to all the ground contact elements.
- Similarly, also the electrical connection between the contact elements that carry power signals contributes to reducing interferences and therefore the noise in the testing head. In this way, advantageously according to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the common mode noise.
- Consequently, the present disclosure allows an overall improvement of the frequency performances of the testing head.
- Furthermore, also the electrical connection between contact elements that carry operating signals (i.e., input/output signals), preferably at the lower guide, allows an increase of the frequency performances of the testing head in case there is a need to electrically connect two or more contact pads of the device under test.
- Advantageously, it is possible to short-circuit groups of probes to each other (and therefore also the corresponding pads of the device), without transporting the relative signal of the test equipment, said short-circuit occurring at the lower and/or intermediate guide, i.e., close to the device under test, in this way improving the electrical performances of the short-circuit.
- The possibility of short-circuiting the ground and power contact elements allows to improve also the current performances of the testing head of the present disclosure, also avoiding possible burning of the contact elements.
- It is also possible to obtain a testing head with improved performances in terms of signal filtering, thanks to the presence of suitable circuit components, in particular capacitors electrically connected to the conductive portions.
- Finally, the presence of a common pad allows to access to the contact elements directly from the housing of the testing head, such a common pad therefore replacing the plurality of contact pads and also allowing monitoring of the respective signals.
- From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
- The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
Claims (25)
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US18/416,771 US20240151744A1 (en) | 2016-12-16 | 2024-01-18 | Testing head having improved frequency properties |
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- 2017-12-11 KR KR1020197020260A patent/KR102470313B1/en active IP Right Grant
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US20220137095A1 (en) * | 2020-11-03 | 2022-05-05 | Chunghwa Precision Test Tech. Co., Ltd. | Board-like connector, dual-ring bridge of board-like connector, and wafer testing assembly |
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EP4382920A1 (en) * | 2022-12-06 | 2024-06-12 | Microtest S.p.A. | Probe head comprising pogo pins for wafer-level burn-in test |
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US11921133B2 (en) | 2024-03-05 |
US20240151744A1 (en) | 2024-05-09 |
JP2020514691A (en) | 2020-05-21 |
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TWI713807B (en) | 2020-12-21 |
KR102470313B1 (en) | 2022-11-23 |
US11035885B2 (en) | 2021-06-15 |
WO2018108790A1 (en) | 2018-06-21 |
TW201833564A (en) | 2018-09-16 |
US11808788B2 (en) | 2023-11-07 |
KR20190103189A (en) | 2019-09-04 |
US20230333142A1 (en) | 2023-10-19 |
US20210270869A1 (en) | 2021-09-02 |
PH12019501351A1 (en) | 2020-01-20 |
EP3555638A1 (en) | 2019-10-23 |
CN110073224A (en) | 2019-07-30 |
CN110073224B (en) | 2022-07-08 |
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